Slowly
by hp-ewrgdr
Summary: Naruto, being as dense as he always was, needed a little more time to realize what he really wanted. In the end, Hinata found she didn't mind it that much.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

**Slowly** by kacau

Naruto, being as dense as he always was, needed a little more time to realize what he really wanted. In the end, Hinata found she didn't mind it that much.

She had been avoiding him, it was obvious. Even someone as oblivious as him could understand that. As they tried to rebuild their home - his mind still in what would happen to Sasuke -, Naruto started thinking about the Hyuuga girl. He liked her, in a way. She was shy, sweet and beautiful, if he dared to say so. He just had never thought of her in any other way than friendship. And, now, after her confession, he didn't know what to do.

Should he look for her and try to say something? But what would he say? It was all so confusing.

And, then, there was Sakura. The girl had come to him days after the incident - was it really just an incident? - and said she loved him. Naruto found himself angry just thinking about it. The pink haired woman was lying, not only to him but also to herself. She couldn't force herself to love him, he wasn't even sure he loved her in that way anymore.

Again, it was so confusing.

Naruto picked up one of the bags full of brash and started dragging it to the disposes' area. Just as he turned around, he crashed against someone. Hinata stumbled but the man managed to hold her before she fell. They stared at each other, embarassed and surprised.

"N-Naruto-kun..." The woman stuttered out.

"Hinata... Hi..." His cerulean blue eyes met her clear lavender ones and they hold gazes, unsure of what to say.

"NARUTO!" He looked around to where Sakura was yelling, running in his direction. She stopped just in time, taking a deep breath. "Tsunade wants us in her office, something about a recognition mission."

He nodded as the med nin waved a quick goodbye and made her way back to the Hokage tower. Naruto turned around, finding an empty space where seconds before Hinata had been.

Something inside his chest ached, as he wondered where could she have gone.

* * *

They sat quietly in the ramen stand, eating together, both not daring to start a conversation. Hinata and Naruto had fallen into this routine after the incident 3 months before. They would go in their missions and, when back, would come to the Ichiraku's Ramen where the other would be waiting. It was strangely conforting and the two of them just didn't want to say anything that could ruin this new tradition.

Around them, people talked and did their own things, too busy to realize them, too busy to care. Everybody but a pink haired woman, that watched the two (not yet a couple, she reminded herself) with a smile in her face.

In the middle of all the strange things that had been happening, in the middle of danger and uncertainty, Sakura found pleasure in observing Naruto and Hinata stumble together through unsaid words, embarassing memories and growing feelings.

She watched as Naruto's hand unconciously inched towards the girl's ones, as the Hyuuga woman (so grown up, so much stronger) blushed and attempted to say something, as the blonde man ate more slowly, savoring their moments together.

Her heart made a flip of joy.

Naruto had no idea but he was, finally, falling for the right girl.

* * *

"You mean a lot, you know?" His voice was unusually low and she looked up through her dark bangs, lavender eyes wide.

Naruto stood by the side of her hospital bed, four flowers hold together by a white ribbon in his hands. Yellow, white, purple and lavender.

He scratched the back of his neck, seemingly embarassed.

"Kiba say they don't match."

Hinata blinked and a shy smile appeared in her face, a light blush spreading through her cheeks. She lifted her arm, feeling the restraining ties around her shoulder and stomach, where two holes had been made by the enemie's attack. The woman took the bouquet and smelled it's scent, shifting her gaze to the flowers.

"I love it."

And, even though she wasn't watching, the Hyuuga knew Naruto was grinning.

Later that day, Ino came to check on her and change her bandages, since Sakura had been called in an emergency surgery. The blonde woman smiled gently at the Hyuuga before looking around the hospital room. Her intelligent blue eyes settled in the flowers, analysing them.

"Who sent them?"

She noticed that Hinata flushed. Delphinium meant boldness. Gladiolous, strengh of character. Iris, inspiration.

"N-Naruto-kun came earlier to give me them."

And then, pompous, voluptuous and vibrant, a yellow chrysanthemum. A sly smirk appeared at Ino's face, who tried to hide it from the pacient.

"Good choices." She remarked, before walking towards the door.

Before leaving, a humorous thought went through her mind. _Maybe, just maybe, there's still a chance for Naruto, after all._

Yellow chrysanthemum, secret admirer.

* * *

Naruto sat under the perfumed cherry tree, quiet, his eyes staring at the ground in concentration.

"What are you doing?"

The soft voice of his best friend made him look up, his gaze still glossed by his thoughts.

Sakura sat by his side, waiting.

"I don't know. Thinking, I guess."

The woman smiled at him, her pink hair gathered in an elegant bun.

"Why don't you tell me about what so we can think together, then?"

Naruto sighed, shifting his stare to the ground again.

"I think I like her, Sakura. More than like, actually. I just don't know what to do."

The med nin felt her chest twist in happiness; her little/big brother had matured so much.

"Do you think you love her?"

The sugestion infiltrated his mind and his bright eyes unconciously looked for her in the crowd. And, then, there she was.

Hinata's hair was curled, the blueish shade shinning in the moonlight. She laughed lightly, talking to Neji and Tenten, who just happened to have their arms intertwined.

Naruto wondered if Neji realized how possessively his grip looked. As an afterthought, he figured that was probably the man's intention.

His attention was brought back to the Hyuuga heir.

"I think I do."

He blinked, a bit surprised by his realization.

Sakura put a hand in his shoulder, a bright smile adorning her beautiful face.

"Then do something about it."

With that said, she got up, walking to where Sai and Kakashi stood.

* * *

The moon was full as he walked her home, something that had become part of their tradition.

Hinata fidgeted slightly, not entirely over her shyness around him. Naruto grinned at her, an arm drapped around her shoulders in a familiar way.

The woman almost sighed at the feeling of him so close to her.

She loved him so much.

They came to a stop in the front of the Hyuuga compound. Hinata made to leave but Naruto took her hand, stopping her from entering the grounds.

He took a step closer and she wondered when had he gotten so tall.

"I never told you..." His voice was a whisper and it tickled the cold skin of her face.

It was winter but the warmth he seeed to radiate made her feel so confortable.

"What you said, last year," She felt her breath get caught in her throat as she remembered her confession. "it meant so much, Hinata-chan."

His gaze was so intense that, despite the embarassment, she couldn't tear her eyes from his face.

"It was the first time anyone told me that. And the feeling... The feeling of being loved. It was so overwhelming." Without losing that unusual gravity, the man grinned. "In a good way, off course."

He leaned a bit and Hinata felt the need to close her eyes, to feel his lips on hers.

"And, now, you mean so much you have no idea. If I had said it then, it might have been a lie, though I'm not even sure of that anymore. This happened slowly, I believe, but you can never know, right? But today, today, it certainly isn't a lie, Hinata-chan. It is a fact, an undeniable fact."

Naruto hovered over her, so close that she could count the whisker marks in his face.

"I love you."

He leaned down even further and pressed his lips to hers. The kissed deepened and they broke apart to get some air.

Naruto's hands went to her waist as hers found his hair, pulling softly.

The blonde descended his kisses, trailing her jaw with his lips and, then, to her neck.

They departed, alarmed, with the sound of someone clearing their throats. The couple looked at the source of the noise and found themselves staring at a cross-armed, not pleased, Neji.

"Hinata, I think it's time for you to go back home. Your father has been waiting for you."

The girl's clear eyes became even wider as she realized her whole clan could have been watching them. She flushed bright red while Naruto, who also seemed to have understood the implicated meanings in Neji's words, smiled sheepishly.

Gulping down her shyness, Hinata stood on her tiptoes and gave Naruto a light kiss on his lips before turning back and walking in her compound grounds.

Naruto stood, dumbfounded, a distracted grin in his face.

The dark haired woman stopped and looked at him one last time.

"I love you too, Naruto-kun." Her sweet voice was smooth and a delicate blush spreaded through her cheeks again as she kept walking to the main house.

This time, Naruto had his trademark grin, a feeling he had never felt before (or, maybe, had, but never so strongly) establishing in his chest.

"I trust you, Uzumaki." The two man stared at each other and the blonde nodded, blinking away his surprise. Neji smirked. "She's a sister to me. Hurt her and you won't live to see the next day."

And, with that last threat, he was also gone.

Naruto stood there, staring at where, seconds before, Hinata had been. This time, all he could feel was joy.

In a very Naruto way, he punched the air, screaming happily.

* * *

Liked it? Hated it? Feel free to pm me. Feel extra free to review.

I actually loved how this turned out.

Still learning english so, any mistakes, tell me. I'm also looking for a beta. Thank you for the attention.


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